Nickelodeon hopes consumers are sold on 'Fairly OddParents'

The network's marketing of quirky characters nets billions in revenue. NEW YORK (AP) -- Nickelodeon has won the hearts of children with cartoons like "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Rugrats" and "Dora the Explorer." The cable TV network has also won the wallets of parents, turning out a series of toys and other products linked to its shows. Now, Nickelodeon is hoping for another big merchandising hit with "The Fairly OddParents," which made its TV debut in 2001 and follows the adventures of a 10-year-old boy and his wacky fairy godparents. The company has signed deals with manufacturers to create about 100 products, from toys to clothing, that are tied to the program. Priority But Nickelodeon says merchandising, while very lucrative for the company, is secondary to programming. "We've become this really large successful business by doing the exact opposite of what most people in the business do. We don't make shows to sell toys," said Jeffrey Dunn, president of Nickelodeon Enterprises, whose parent is media conglomerate Viacom Inc., owner of MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures. Last year, Nickelodeon had 41 of the top 50 TV programs, on both network and cable, aimed at children ages 2 to 11, according to Nielsen Media Research. "SpongeBob SquarePants," about a sponge who lives at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, was the No. 1 show with that age group, Nielsen said. "The Fairly OddParents" was the No. 2 rated show with kids 2 to 11, according to the research company. "There is this wholesome edginess to their characters," said Randall Stone, partner at Lippincott Mercer, a brand consulting company. Adam Lippman, 31, of Stamford, Conn., is a fan, as is his 3-year old daughter Colette, who also regularly watches "Dora the Explorer." Lippman said he's bought "Dora the Explorer" backpacks and coloring books as well as "SpongeBob" plush toys for Colette. "Adults can really appreciate 'SpongeBob,'" Lippman said, revealing that he can imitate most of the characters. Sales That kind of appeal helped Nickelodeon record $2.5 billion in retail merchandise sales last year, a big 19 percent jump from the year-ago period. According to License magazine, a trade publication, Disney generated $13 billion in retail sales of licensed goods last year, while Warner Bros. had $6 billion, both unchanged from the previous year. Nickelodeon made its first big splash in consumer products with "Rugrats," whose merchandising sales peaked at more than $1 billion in 1999. The show, which began airing 12 years ago, is now considered one of the company's classics. Merchandise tied to "Blue's Clues" followed a year later, also generating more than $1 billion. Last year, "Dora The Explorer," which follows the adventures of a 7-year-old Hispanic girl, had $350 million in sales, surpassing the company's goal of $250 million, according to Leigh Anne Brodsky, senior vice president of consumer products for Nickelodeon. Unexpected But "SpongeBob SquarePants," which began airing in 1999, has been the company's biggest surprise, generating revenues of $750 million last year and exceeding expectations of $500 million. The show has attracted a wide audience, although the property had a cool reception at first among merchants, who underestimated consumers' emotional connection with a sponge. Now, there are about 100 companies that supply products under license for "SpongeBob," ranging from Bounty paper towels from Procter &amp; amp; Gamble to sporting goods accessories from Sport Fun. Parents can buy "SpongeBob" skateboards (there are eight different models featured on www.nick.com), chairs, sheets, watches and more. The marketing of "SpongeBob" reflects a merchandising strategy different from the one followed by many other entertainment companies. Nickelodeon waits at least a year or two before releasing merchandise, carefully monitoring whether the property has the emotional impact to produce a merchandising hit. "Dora the Explorer" merchandise was not released until the holiday 2001 period, about a year after the show began. With "SpongeBob SquarePants," Nickelodeon realized there was a cult-like teen following, and teamed with teen retailer Hot Topic Inc., which released products in 2001, two years after the show made its debut. "It is our No. 1 licensed property ever," said Cindy Levitt, vice president and general merchandise manager at Hot Topic. She noted that teens could relate to the character, who works at a fast-food joint called the Krusty Krab.